Improvement in automatic cleats foe sail-boats



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LYSANDER HILL, OliiV ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 71,615, dated December 3, 1867. y

IMPROVEMENT IN ATOMATIG .GLBATS FOB. SAIL-BOATS.

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20 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I,`LYSANDER HILL, ofthe city and county-ot` Alexandria, andthe State of Virginia, have4 invented a new and improved Safety-Fastening for the Sheets of Sail-Boats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of. the same, sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to construct andnse the same, 'reference being had to the accompanying drawings,`forming a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference denote corresponding-parts.v l Figure 1 is a section of my invention through the line x x of fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a section of thev same through the line y y of tig. 1. 4 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section similar to that of fig. 2, but showing a different form of the device. Figure 4 is a side elevation ,of the same when connected with a pendulum; and

Figure 5 is a top view of a portion of the apparatus seen in figs. 3cr 4. j This invention is a simple, cheap, and practical device for preventing `the capsizingof boats by squalls. The drawings show several forms of my invention. lin-all, however, the principle is the same. Two cleats or arms hold the sheet, one or both of the cleats being hinged and movable. .The movable one is provided with a jaw, behind which a'spring-stop' or bolt slides, holding the cleat firmly in. position as long as the stop is in contact with thejaw. When forced away from the cleat by hand or automaticall the cleat is released, and the force of the 'wind throws it over on its hinge and pulls oi the sheet, liberating the sail.- In one form it is designed that the spring-stop shall be withdrawn by' hand, and in another by the action of the boat itself.

In the drawings, A represents the plate or block to which the cleats C C .are attached, one or both of the cleats being hinged to lugs B B, projecting up from the surface of the block, so that such cleatcan he easily turned back on its hinge as a pivot, as shown in red lines in fig. 4. A spring-stop, S, engages behind a, jaw, c, on the under side of the cleat, and holds the latter firmly in place until the spring-stop is forced out of the way by hand or otherwise. I do not claim any particular form of spring-stop. In figs. 1 and 2 it is shown as a woonden spring-bar, fastened inal deep groove or gain, D, in the block, with its end projecting out at the end of the block at H; while in figs. 3 and 4 itis shown as a sliding plate or bar lot' metal actuated -`by a spring, which forces it behind the jaw c. The jaw a is bevelled off on .one side, so 'that it will press the spring-stop back ont of the way while the cleat is being set. When the cleat reaches the position-shown in the black lines, the jaw-passes' the 'spring-stop, which instantly springs behind it and prevents its return till the stop has been removed. The Vspring-stop is either furnished with a projecting arm, by which it can beinstantaneonsly pushed back from the jaw by a movement of. thehand or foot, or else it is connected with the apparatus shown in iig. 4, which will force it back automatically whenever the boat reaches a dangerous position.

The simplest form of this device is shown in figs. 1 and 2,- in which A is a. rectangular block of wood, about eight inches in length by four in breadth,a.nd fromv one to two in depth,having a deep, narrow, longitudinal gain or groove, D, on the side opposite to the cleats C C. The jaw c reu-ches down and into and across this groove, resting at the side of the Agroove when the cleat is set, as shown iuig. 2. The spring-stop is a long spring-bar of wood, fastened in the gain D, and springing up past the jaw e, so that the latter cannot move till the bar is withdrawn, o ne end of the bar projecting outof the gain,` In this form the cleat which extends transversely across the-top of the block A-is set orfastened by simply pressing it down against the block.. It is liberated again by pressing the hand or foot against the spring-stop and forcing the latteraway from thejaw e, either operation being but the work'of an instant. The rope or sheet which holds the sail is fastened to the cleats, and the force of the wind causes'it to draw upon the movable one. While the latter is held in position by its jaw operating in connection with the spring-stop, the sheet is held fast, but when thevvspring-stop is.'

forced away from the jaw, the cleat is liberated, and instantly turns back upon its hinge, letting the sheet go. The jaw c assists to clear the sheet, catching in it and throwing it upwardand backward as the cleat turns over. In this form of construction the spring-bar may be used alone or in conjunotion with an assisting spring under it in the gain. Any suitablemethod of fastening the fixed end of the spring-bar may -be employed. It may -be screwed,v bolted, confined by pins operating in transverse notches upon it, or be fastened by inserting its end vinto a vholev or socket at the inner end of the gain.

In the form shown in fig. 3, the wooden block A gives place to a metallic plate, having lugs to support the cleats, and lugs ZZon the opposite side, to support and guide the sprinff-stop. The latter is a sliding plate, actuated by a spring, as shown clearly in the drawings. A projecting arm, H, serves to draw the slide back and release the cleat. i

In iig. 4 there are two movable cleats and two spring-stops, of thef'orm shown in fig. The stops are drawn back by means of pivotod arms or levers LL, terminating ina segment pinion,v and operating on a rack on the springstop. A pendulum, P, heavily weighted, is suspended between the spring-stops, and. upon its rod a ring, R, slides up and down, being xed in any desired position on the rod, by a set-screw, z'. The ring has two lugs, from which chains I I extend to the lower end ofthe levers L L. The lower end of the pendulum-rod screws into the weight W, so that it can be lengthencd or shortened a-t pleasure. AThe device in this form is fastened to a thwart in a transverse position to the boat, the pendulum swinging underneath. As the boat careens to the left the sheet will pull on the right-hand cleat, as seen in the drawing. By the careening ofthe boat the right end of plate A will be raised, while the pendulum' will remain vertical. The chain I on the right side will thus become taut, and begin to pull on the lever L, and if the boat eareens far enough, will draw the spring-stop from behind the jaw e, liberate the sheet, and cause the boat to right again. The point to which the boat may be allowed to careen is to be ascertained, and the instrument gauged accordingly, by slipping the ring B. up or down on the pendulum-rod. The chain I is to be of such a length that if the ring R is slipped up to the top of the pendulum, it will not act upon the levers at all, no matter how far the boat cai-eens, and if it is slipped down far enough it will not allow the boat to ca reen at all without liberating the sheets. It is obvious ,that the instrument works the same, whether the boat'carcen to right or left.

This instrument has been thoroughly 4tested insmall boats in the heaviest galos, and found 'to Work admirablypinstantly-disengaging the sheet at the point'of danger, and causing the boat to right herself upon the water Without diiculty. Where the device above described is employed, the sheets may be tied and knotted to the cleats, o'r fastened down in any manner, and they will disengage themselves just as quickly, rendering the boat 'perfectly safe from any accident from squalls. If the automatic apparatus is not used, the other will instantly-.liberate the sheet, no matter how irmly it may-be tied. It is only necessary to press the foot or hand lightly upon the arm H, so as' to disengage the spring-stop, andthe sail is free.

The vgreat source ofso many fatal accidents in small boats has been the fastening of the sheets by inexperienced or careless persons. If the sheet is tied or even wound two or three times about the cleat, when a` heavy squali strikes the boat it will cause the sail to draw the knot or make' the rope bind so tight that no amount of force can untie or disengage it, and the boat has tocapsize. This improved device enables the occupants of the boat to fasten the sheets in any manner, and yet be perfectly safe. The use of such a device effects not only greater safety to the passengers, but a saving of time and labor that is of great importance. With it every sheet can be fastened down within reach of the helmsman, and he alone can attend to and regu- .late them without assistance. A two-mastcd boat has heretofore required two men to manage it with safety'.

With this instrument, one can do it with perfect ease. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as new, is- The combination of the pendulum P, sliding gauge R, chains I, or their equivalents, levers L L, or their equivalents, spring-stops S S, and cleats C C, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

' LYSANDER HILL. Witnesses:

NATHAN K. ELLswo'n'rn, E. A. ELLswonTH. 

